Dromeo and Guilet
by Sakura's Face
Summary: AU - Drinny - When a school dance takes an unexpected turn, Ginny is left with someone she never expected to be falling in love with.


**AN: This is my first Drinny fanfiction, but it is a pairing I've always quite liked. AU, in the sense that the Battle of Hogwarts/The Wizarding War and things like that wont be happening, but Harry will still be the chosen one and Voldemort is still at large and all that. I just wanted to make them ages I felt comfortable writing about, without obscuring them still being teenagers, and still being at school. **

**If you're wondering, the title IS a joke. Just sayin'. **

**Obviously these are not my own characters.**

**Please, read and drop in a review~ Follow if ya want, I appreciate it! 3**

* * *

The deep, red mask fit snugly over her defined features. It curved gracefully over her nose, rising up to her hairline at one side and falling to he chin at the other. She pulled it off, resting it gently on the table in front of her as she took in her red hair, pulled up into an elegant up-do instead of floating around her shoulders as usual. She sighed, sweaty hands smoothing down the silken fabric of her dress. It was the same deep red as her mask, but instead of being plain it was studded with tiny gems which sparkled in the light. It hugged her body perfectly, showing off her ever-growing womanly figure. Tonight, she wasn't going to just be the youngest Weasley, the girl who was just her brothers with the striking hair and complexion flecked with freckles. She was going to be herself, not just another one of those trouble-makers.

McGonagall had told them all about the ball. Some idea to "quell inter-house hatred, and promote a sense of community within the school." A whole load of crap, if you asked Ginny personally. All it was to everyone was an excuse to dress up and have a bit of a dance. Perfect fun for the girls, and sure to be slightly awkward for the guys. It always was. But this time, unlike every other time, there was a difference. It was a masked ball.

In the Wizarding World masked balls are different to those in the human world. The muggle books Ginny had read which touched on the subject, and everything Hermione had told her, made her shiver with anticipation. In the Muggle world, masked balls were exactly the same as regular balls, except that every guest wore a mask to conceal their identity, as the name implies. It sounded stupid, in the mind of a witch, that merely wearing a mask could hide who you are. Complicated enchantments, spells, potions and charms were the only definite way to become someone else. And that was exactly what a masked ball in the Wizarding World consisted of. Everyone attending would be wearing a mask, obviously, but every mask was charmed in such a way that nobody knew who the wearer truly was. Even if they recognized them as having strikingly familiar hair, or a noticeable birthmark which only one person had, the memory of exactly who it was would be wiped clean from them. Friends and enemies became nothing more than strangers, which isn't exactly a bad thing. It gave Ginny exactly the chance she needed to get to know someone different from her usual band of friends.

She ran her hands down her sides once more, taking a shaky breath. It was either going to be the best night of her life, or the worst. She'd either bond with someone completely new, someone exciting and different, or be stuck by herself in the corner while everyone else had the night of their lives. Either way, she was willing to take the risk. It was difficult to be just another Weasley. It was difficult to spend all day every day with the same people, laughing at the same things and gossiping about the same people. She just had to break the mold, and this was her chance.

* * *

The Great Hall had been transformed, as it was for every special occasion. The usual floating candles had been replaced with twinkling balls of light, weaving in and out of each other like a thousand shooting stars against the midnight backdrop which the roof had been charmed into. The long table, which usually sat a row of stern looking teachers, now held enough food and drinks for the entire school – weird considering only fifth, sixth and seventh years had been invited. Dainty little cupcakes, piled high with butter-cream icing and crystallized flowers, and bowls of syrupy-sweet drinks were crammed on and piled up high. Plenty for everyone, and left-overs too.

Ginny walked in slowly. Her shoes, though far from high, were a little too far from her comfort zone, meaning she had to carefully calculate each step before taking it. Praying that it made her look more classy and elegant, instead of awkward and clumsy, she held her head high. Pale skin, with a light dusting of freckles across her nose, high cheekbones and full lips. Her eyes stood out brightly against the shimmering fabric of her mask, brown verging on hazel. Hopefully, they'd attract someone's attention. Anyone's attention. Now that she was in the hall itself, she wasn't too fussed about meeting someone new. Even meeting one of her old friends would be great, as long as she had someone.

The room was slowly filling up. When she had arrived, Ginny had been one of just sixty or seventy, but just minutes later that number had doubled, tripled even. Her eyes flicked around constantly, searching for someone to make eye contact with. Groups were forming already. A group of girls in one corner, all wearing near-identical dresses of different colours. Another group of four were huddled near the food, two boys and two girls. They appeared to be partnered up, each boy with his arm snugly around the girl's waist. Ginny sighed, looking away. Apparently she was going to be left as a party of one.

Then something caught her eye. Or rather, someone caught her eye. Eyes like ice, hidden behind an emerald green mask. A smart pair of trousers and matching suit jacket, so obviously tailor made for the wearer. White shirt, tie to match the mask. But why did she lock onto him? Three hundred people in the room, and her eyes fell onto one person, and lingered there for a moment too long.

Then she realised why. Her eyes hadn't fallen onto this person, they had locked with his own. It wasn't until his straight lips, tilted into a familiar smirk that she noticed that his slate grey eyes had locked with hers, and that was why he was so intriguing.

She felt herself blush as he moved quickly through the crowd towards her, and hoped that her mask would hide it, or it would be mistaken for a reflection of her dress. He offered her a hand, bowing as she took it. It was almost Shakespearian, airs and graces of the time when the bard was writing. "Would madam like to dance?" He asked, and is if on cue the music changed to a light waltz.

Ginny smiled, of course she wanted to dance with the stranger behind the mask, but could she dance? No. Could she even walk at a normal pace? Still no. "I..I th-think it's better I stay here." she stuttered out, trying not to sound too much like the child she felt.

"It's all about how it's led," he said, taking her hand in his and sitting his other arm lightly across her waist. "Just follow my lead and we'll take to the floor." He smiled, showing a full row of shiny, brilliant white teeth. Ginny nervously smiled too, sitting her free hand upon the stranger's shoulder and allowing him to whisk her away.

An hour later, longer perhaps, he finally led her to the edge of the floor. "Not too bad if one of us can dance?" He smirked, not removing the hand from her waist.

Ginny smirked back, finally returning to her more confident self. "I don't know, you need a little bit of work.." she trailed off, taking a sip of a drink which had somehow appeared in her hand. It tasted like pure, undiluted sugar of the best kind. Feeling her batteries recharge, she sat it down to fix her hair.

He caught it half way up, holding it gently in his own. Had she not wanted to, it would have been easy for her to shake his hand away, pull free and walk away. But she didn't. "This party isn't really my scene you know." He leaned in, whispering in her ear instead of shouting over the music. "I prefer places more.. quiet. If you wanna go somewhere a little more.." He nodded towards the door, before slowly making his way towards it. Ginny followed without thinking, such a gentleman wouldn't be, couldn't be, anything but kind ad gracious. Just as he had been.


End file.
